Find out how popular the first name Marlee has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Marlee by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Marlee is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 98% of people named Marlee being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 605 female babies and 11 male babies born with the name Marlee.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 11 baby boys were named Marlee in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Marlee

The name Marlee is a variant of the English name Marley, which is believed to be derived from the Old English place name "Mere Leagh," meaning "pool meadow." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages and was particularly common in the northern counties of England.

The earliest recorded use of the name Marlee dates back to the late 16th century. One of the earliest documented bearers of the name was Marlee Winslow, an English landowner from Yorkshire who lived in the 1590s.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Marlee. In the 17th century, Marlee Pemberton (1624-1687) was a prominent Quaker minister and author from Lancashire, England. Her writings on religious tolerance and nonviolence were influential during the English Civil War period.

In the 19th century, Marlee Blackburn (1825-1901) was a British explorer and naturalist who led several expeditions to the Amazon rainforest. Her detailed accounts of the region's flora and fauna were widely published and contributed to the scientific understanding of the area.

Marlee Matlin (born 1965) is a renowned American actress and advocate for the Deaf community. In 1987, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film "Children of a Lesser God," becoming the first Deaf performer to receive the prestigious honor.

Marlee Reid (1856-1932) was a Scottish artist known for her vibrant landscape paintings capturing the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Her works were exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and are held in several museum collections.

The name Marlee has also been associated with various fictional characters over the years, further contributing to its recognition and popularity.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Marlee was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Marlee, please contact us.

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